The Audio Interface:
The heart of your home recording studio.
The gateway to sound coming in and out of your computer.

If you are new to home recording you may be wondering which audio interface you need to buy. I'll help by explaining some of the features that these interfaces have. Today there are numerous interfaces on the market ranging from $99 all they way up to $5000. All of them do 2 of the most basic things an interface needs to do.

1. Convert your analog audio to digital (so it can be read by the
   software in your computer.)
2. Convert the digital audio from your computer back to analog
   (so that you can hear what you recorded and mixed.)

Some even have 1/4" direct instrument inputs, also called a Hi Z input. With this input you can plug in a signal from an electric guitar or electric bass without having to mic an amplifier and you can later use amp modeling software to achieve your sound.

Depending on your needs you may consider an interface that has 4 or more preamps so that you can simultaneously record 4 or more tracks at a time. For example the MOTU 8 Pre has 8 mic preamps.

This could allow you to use separate mics for a full drum kit on each of the drums to have control of the sound of each of these tracks individually within your software and then you could mix to taste.

Some other features that are included on audio interfaces are MIDI inputs and outputs, Phantom Power for powering studio condenser mics, LED level meters, Digital inputs and outputs, referred to as ADAT optical or S/PDIF. These digital inputs allow you to hook up other interfaces or preamps with digital outputs to increase your total inputs. Say that three times fast!

So which Audio Interface is the one for you?

That depends on what you plan to record. Is it just an acoustic guitar and a vocal track, then any one of the 2 preamp models from M Audio, Presonus, or Focusrite would be fine choices.

I personally have the Focusrite Saffire LE for my demo projects and song ideas. I think Saffire LE is a great product for the price. The Preamps are clean and clear and there are plenty of I/O options on this device.

Do you want to record a full drum kit with separate mics and later add the rest of the band? Perhaps the MOTU 8Pre or the Focusrite Saffire Pro 26 I/O would be a good choice.

In any case I would recommend the FireWire devices over the USB. I have experience with both and I have found the firewire devices to be much more stable and problem free than the USB devices.

What's your experience with your audio interface? Email us your own Tips, Tricks, and Tweaks for a chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter. We'd love to hear from you!

Which Audio Interface is Right for You?
With so may recording interfaces on the market today, the choices can be overwhelming. First, let's go over some of the many features that these interfaces have. Some of these features are included on all interfaces, and some of these features are unique to certain brands or models. It's up to you to decide what is important to you.

The Digital Audio Recorder Simplfied
Deciding which digital audio recorder to buy can be a big challenge with todays wide selection. To help narrow down your options, let's take a look at the four main categories.

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